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90 Grand Finals Trivia Questions, Answers, and Fun Facts

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1 What is the similarity between the 1990 and 2010 premierships, both won by Collingwood?
Answer: They were both won in October

Usually, AFL Grand Finals are played in September, but these two were played in October.
In 1990, Collingwood won the Grand Final in October due to the qualifying final between Collingwood and West Coast Eagles being a draw. They had to replay the match 1 week later, so the rest of the finals was delayed by one week.
In 2010, Collingwood drew with St Kilda (68-68) in the Grand Final and that had to be replayed a week later.
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
2 In 1916, there was a rare occurrence in the VFL. What was it?
Answer: Fitzroy won the flag and the wooden spoon

Due to the war, only four teams participated in the 1916 season. Fitzroy finished on the bottom of the ladder but were able to play in the finals due to the Final Four system. They then won three in a row to take out the Grand Final.
  From Quiz: AFL Grand Finals
3 Which player has won two consecutive Norm Smith Medals?
Answer: Andrew McLeod

The only player to do so, in Adelaide's back top back wins of 1997 and 1998. Gary Ayers won two in 1986 and 1988.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
4 Ron Barassi coached the Carlton and North Melbourne teams to 2 premierships each. Which premiership was the last one for Ron?
Answer: North Melbourne vs Collingwood

Ron Barassi first coached at Carlton where they defeated Essendon in 1968, with a score of 56-53. Carlton then beat Collingwood in 1970, 111-101.
Ron Barassi moved to North Melbourne and helped them to 2 premierships there, by defeating Hawthorn in 1975 (132-67), and beating Collingwood in 1977 (151-124).
    Your options: [ North Melbourne vs Collingwood ] [ Carlton vs Collingwood ] [ Carlton vs Essendon ] [ North Melbourne vs Hawthorn ]
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
5 Out of the teams who entered the competition in 1925, which was the first to win a Grand final?
Answer: Footscray

Footscray won their first in 1954. Hawthorn won their first in 1961,
and North Melbourne in 1975. St. Kilda joined the competition in 1897, but had to wait until 1966 to win their first flag.
    Your options: [ St. Kilda ] [ Footscray ] [ Hawthorn ] [ North Melbourne ]
  From Quiz: AFL Grand Finals
6 Collingwood was also unlucky in 1966 being beaten by a point by St Kilda. Which Collingwood backman's handpass was intercepted by Barry Breen to give him the shot on goal that won the game for St Kilda?
Answer: Ted Potter

Barry Breen was only 18 and in his first season of football when he kicked himself into history. He went on to play more than 300 games for St Kilda, but never again tasted Premiership glory.
    Your options: [ Ray Gabelich ] [ Des Tuddenham ] [ Ted Potter ] [ Lou Richards ]
  From Quiz: Grand Final Heroes and Villains
7 Who was the captain of Geelong when they defeated St Kilda in the Grand Final in 2009?
Answer: Tom Harley

Tom Harley was a dual premiership captain, captaining Geelong from 2007-2009.
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
8 Which year did the Footscray (now known as the Western Bulldogs) last win a premiership?
Answer: 1954

Their only premeirship to the end of the 2000 season.
    Your options: [ 1949 ] [ 1956 ] [ 1954 ] [ 1962 ]
  From Quiz: Premierships History
9 Who captained Carlton in their 1995 premiership against Geelong (141-80)?
Answer: Stephen Kernahan

The 1995 defeat of Geelong was Carlton's 16th premiership. In 1995, 16 premierships was the record for any AFL club.
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
10 In 1988 and 1989, a club won back to back flags. The club had a different coach for the two years. Who were the coaches?
Answer: Hawthorn, Jeans & Joyce

The 1988 premiership side was coached by Alan Joyce, who took over when regular coach Allan Jeans was forced to step down following brain surgery. Jeans resumed coaching in 1989, but stepped down again in 1991 when Joyce again took over to lead the Hawks to another flag.
  From Quiz: AFL Grand Finals
11 Who was the first player from a losing side to win the Norm Smith medal?
Answer: Maurice Rioli

In 1982 when Carlon defeated Richmond 103 to 85.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
12 In 2005 and 2006, the same teams played in the Grand Final, but both teams lost one and won one premiership. Which two teams played?
Answer: Sydney Swans vs West Coast Eagles

In 2005 Sydney beat the Eagles by just 4 points (58-54) to claim the premiership. In 2006, West Coast Eagles won by just 1 point (85-84) to win the Grand Final. They were both very close Grand Finals, and both times the same teams played.
    Your options: [ Sydney Swans vs West Coast Eagles ] [ Geelong Cats vs St Kilda Saints ] [ St Kilda Saints vs Hawthorn Hawks ] [ Carlton Blues vs Fremantle Dockers ]
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
13 Who is the youngest player to win a Norm Smith medal?
Answer: Andrew McLeod

He was aged 21.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
14 In 1927, Collingwood defeated another team to win the premiership by just 2 goals. Who was that other team?
Answer: Richmond

The Grand Final of 1927 was also very low scoring, with a final score of just 25-13! Wonder what's going to happen to Collingwood in 2 years...
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
15 The 1953 Grand Final was played between Collingwood and Geelong. In this match, Collingwood had three sets of brothers playing, including Lou and Ron Richards, then Bob and Bill Rose. What was the surname of the last set of brothers?
Answer: Twomey

Bill, Mick, and Pat joined the Rose and Richards brothers to help celebrate the Magpies victory in what was a family affair.
  From Quiz: AFL Grand Finals
16 By how many points did Hawthorn beat Melbourne in the 1988 Grand Final?
Answer: 96

It is the greatest winning margin in Grand Final history.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
17 In 1929, Collingwood won the Grand Final against which team by 29 points?
Answer: Richmond

Collingwood went through the 1929 season undefeated, yet they lost the 2nd semi-final against Richmond by 62 points. Usually, Collingwood would have been out, but because of the rules set in that time, and because Collingwood was in top spot on the ladder, they had the right to challenge Richmond in the Grand Final, where they won by 29 points (79-50).
    Your options: [ Richmond ] [ Geelong ] [ Carlton ] [ Fitzroy ]
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
18 After Essendon's 1962 Grand Final, Alec Epis celebrated so long and hard that he woke up the next morning where?
Answer: On the banks of the Yarra river

Apparently, Epis did not even know how he got there! Now that's what I call a celebration.
    Your options: [ In the back seat of a police car ] [ On the banks of the Yarra river ] [ In a jail cell ] [ On a park bench ]
  From Quiz: AFL Grand Finals
19 Which year produced the greatest crowd ever at a Grand Final?
Answer: 1970

Carlton defeated Collingwood after trailing by 44 points at halftime in front of 121,696 people.
    Your options: [ 1973 ] [ 1996 ] [ 1970 ] [ 1981 ]
  From Quiz: Premierships History
20 In 1966, St. Kilda played against which other team in the Grand Final and won by 1 point?
Answer: Collingwood

After their win in 1966, they did not win any more Grand Finals in the century. Their next chance for one was in 2010. They drew the first time with Collingwood (again), and 1 week later they lost by 52 points.
    Your options: [ Collingwood ] [ Geelong ] [ Carlton ] [ South Melbourne ]
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
21 What happened for the first time with the start of the 2004 Grand Final?
Answer: First Grand Final to involve two teams from outside of Victoria

Although West Coast became the first non-Victorian team to playoff in a Grand Final in 1991, never before had both teams come from outside Victoria.
  From Quiz: AFL Grand Finals
22 Who has coached the most premierships?
Answer: Jock McHale

A staggering 8 premierships, all for Collingwood: 1917, 1919, 1927-30, and 1935-36 (he also coached 11 losing grand final sides).
  From Quiz: Premierships History
23 In 1995, Carlton had the most premierships with 16. Who had the 2nd most premierships?
Answer: Essendon

At that time, Essendon had won 15 out of 27 Grand Finals. Collingwood had won 14 of 38 Grand Finals, Richmond had won 10 out of 21, and Melbourne had won 12 out of 17.

Even though Collingwood got to more Grand Finals than Essendon, they won less than Essendon.
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
24 Which North Melbourne player was forced to miss the 1999 Grand Final victory due to suspension?
Answer: Jason McCartney

McCartney was suspended for striking during their victory in the preliminary final. Longmire, McKernan, and Archer all played.
    Your options: [ John Longmire ] [ Jason McCartney ] [ Cory McKernan ] [ Glen Archer ]
  From Quiz: AFL Grand Finals
25 The Norm Smith Medal was awarded to the player deemed to have been the best player on the ground in the Grand Final. Who was the first recipient of the medal?
Answer: Wayne Harmes

It was that man Harmes for his effort in the 1979 Grand Final. I think that the medal should be awarded retrospectively to previous best on ground players.
  From Quiz: Grand Final Heroes and Villains
26 Which two years have seen the Grand Final finish in a tie?
Answer: 1948 and 1977

1948 between Melbourne and Essendon, 1977 between Collingwood and North Melbourne.
    Your options: [ 1941 and 1978 ] [ 1953 and 1977 ] [ 1948 and 1977 ] [ 1981 and 1978 ]
  From Quiz: Premierships History
27 For 3 years in a row (1979-1981), Collingwood made it to the Grand Final. How many of those did they win?
Answer: 0

In 1979, they lost to Carlton by 5 points (82-77). In 1980, they lost to Richmond by 81 points (159-78). In 1981, they lost to Carlton again by 20 points (92-72).
  From Quiz: Grand Final Winners and Losers
28 Which controversy surrounded the 1993 Grand Final?
Answer: The omission of Derek Kickett

Despite playing every game of the 1993 season, Kickett was dropped for the big game. Kickett never forgave Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy, and as soon as the season was over, left the club. He later played for the Sydney Swans.
    Your options: [ The inclusion if Dean Wallis ] [ The omission of Derek Kickett ] [ The suspension of Greg Williams ] [ The pre game retirement of Tim Watson ]
  From Quiz: AFL Grand Finals
29 Which two clubs have won the most premierships?
Answer: Carlton and Essendon

Both have won 16 premierships to the end of the 2001 season. Collingwood 14 and Richmond 10. Melbourne has won 12.
    Your options: [ Richmond and Essendon ] [ Collingwood and Essendon ] [ Carlton and Essendon ] [ Carlton and Collingwood ]
  From Quiz: Premierships History
30 Prior to Jason Akermanis in 2001 who was the last Brownlow Medallist to play in the premiership side the year he won the medal?
Answer: Gavin Wanganeen

In 1993, playing for Essendon.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
31 Matthew Lloyd won the Coleman Medal and a premiership in 2000. Who was the last player, before Lloyd, to win a Coleman medal and a premiership in the same year?
Answer: Jason Dunstall

Tony Modra won the Coleman Medal but did not play in the 1997 Grand Final due to injury. Jason Dunstall won both in 1989, playing for Hawthorn.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
32 Who is the most recent winner of the Morrish Medal (best and fairest in the TAC Cup) to win a premiership?
Answer: Gary Moorecroft

Gary did in 1994, Wayne in 1987 and neither James nor Mark have won the Morrish medal.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
33 Where was the 1991 Grand Final played?
Answer: Waverly Park

Due to renovations, this is the only Grand Final, except the 1945 Grand Final at Princess Park not to be played at the hallowed MCG.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
34 Who has played the most senior matches without ever winning a Grand Final?
Answer: Bernie Quinlan

Only Micheal Tuck, Kevin Bartlett and Simon Madden have played more matches than Bernie, who played 366 for Fitzroy and Footscray.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
35 Which team(s) have only won one premiership?
Answer: Western Bulldogs and St Kilda

Western Bulldogs (Footscray) in 1954 and St Kilda in 1966. Sydney (South Melbourne) won in 1909, 1918 and 1933 and Geelong won in 1925, 1931, 1937, 1951-52 and 1963.
    Your options: [ St Kilda ] [ Western Bulldogs, St Kilda and Sydney ] [ Western Bulldogs and St Kilda ] [ St Kilda and Geelong ]
  From Quiz: Premierships History
36 What year did Geelong win its last premiership?
Answer: 1963

They played in four Grand Finals in six years from 1989 to 1995 losing to Hawthorn, West Coast (twice) and Carlton.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
37 Who has been the central umpire in the most Grand Finals?
Answer: Jack Elder

A toughie! Jack has 10 to his name, Ian 9, Bryan 6 and counting.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
38 What was the lowest winning score in a Grand Final?
Answer: 25

Collingwood 2.13 25 defeated Richmond 1.7 13 in 1927.
  From Quiz: Premierships History
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